لِي جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَالَ ذَكْوَانُ ذَكِيٌّ أَبَداً قُلْتُ أَجْرَدُ قَالَ طَرِيٌّ أَبَداً قُلْتُ مُقَنَّعٌ قَالَ مَسْتُورٌ.
May I be your ransom! Explain it to me. He said: "Dhakwan" means it is always "dhaki" — it gives light continually. I said: And "ajrad"? He said: It is always fresh. I said: And "muqanna'"? He said: It is always hidden.
بيان: الذكاء التوقد و الالتهاب أي ينور الخلق دائما و الأجرد الذي لا شعر على بدنه و مثل هذا يكون طريا حسنا فاستعير للطراوة و الحسن.
Elucidation: "Al-dhaka'" is a blaze of fire that gives light to people continually. "Al-ajrad" is that which has no hair on its body, and such a thing is always fresh and fair (an allusion to freshness and goodness).
«33»- ير، بصائر الدرجات عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شِمْرٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عليه السلام قَالَ: إِنَّ حَدِيثَنَا صَعْبٌ مُسْتَصْعَبٌ أَجْرَدُ ذَكْوَانُ وَعْرٌ شَرِيفٌ كَرِيمٌ فَإِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ مِنْهُ شَيْئاً وَ لَانَتْ لَهُ قُلُوبُكُمْ فَاحْتَمِلُوهُ وَ احْمَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ وَ إِنْ لَمْ تَحْتَمِلُوهُ وَ لَمْ تُطِيقُوهُ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى الْإِمَامِ الْعَالِمِ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ عليهم السلام فَإِنَّمَا الشَّقِيُّ الْهَالِكُ الَّذِي يَقُولُ وَ اللَّهِ مَا كَانَ هَذَا ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا جَابِرُ إِنَّ الْإِنْكَارَ هُوَ الْكُفْرُ بِاللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ.
Basa'ir al-Darajat: Jabir relates from Imam al-Baqir, peace be upon him, that he said: Our hadith is hard and hard to bear, fair and fresh, level ground, noble, generous and difficult. When you hear something of our hadith and your heart softens, accept it and give thanks to God; and if you have not the strength to bear it, refer it back to the learned one of the family of Muhammad. Wretched indeed is one doomed to ruin who says: By God it is not so — and denies it; and denial is unbelief in God the Great.
بيان: الوعر ضد السهل من الأرض.
Elucidation: "Al-wa'r" is rough ground, the opposite of level.
«34»- ير، بصائر الدرجات أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ جَبَلَةَ عَنْ أَبِي الصَّامِتِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام إِنَّ حَدِيثَنَا صَعْبٌ مُسْتَصْعَبٌ شَرِيفٌ كَرِيمٌ ذَكْوَانُ ذَكِيٌّ وَعْرٌ لَا يَحْتَمِلُهُ مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ وَ لَا نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ وَ لَا مُؤْمِنٌ مُمْتَحَنٌ قُلْتُ فَمَنْ يَحْتَمِلُهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَالَ مَنْ شِئْنَا يَا أَبَا الصَّامِتِ قَالَ أَبُو الصَّامِتِ فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ لِلَّهِ عِبَاداً هُمْ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ الثَّلَاثَةِ.
Basa'ir al-Darajat: Abu al-Samit says: Imam al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, said: Our hadith is hard and hard to bear, noble, generous, difficult, luminous and level; none has the strength to bear it but an angel brought near, or a prophet sent with a mission, or a tested believing servant. I said: May I be your ransom! Who then can bear it? He said: O Abu al-Samit, whomever we will. Abu al-Samit says: I supposed that God has servants more excellent than an angel brought near, a prophet sent with a mission, and a tested believer.
بيان: لعل المراد الإمام الذي بعدهم فإنه أفضل من الثلاثة و استثناء نبينا صلى اللّٰه عليه و آله ظاهر و المراد بهذا الحديث الأمور الغريبة التي لا يحتملها غيرهم عليهم السلام ١.
Elucidation: Perhaps what the Imam, peace be upon him, means by listing those three is that the believer is the best of them, and the exception of our Prophet, may God bless him and his family, is evident. What is meant by "hadith" here are the strange matters which none but the infallible Imams, peace be upon them, can bear.
«35»- ير، بصائر الدرجات إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ صَبَّاحٍ الْمُزَنِيِّ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ حَصِيرَةَ ٢ عَنِ الْأَصْبَغِ بْنِ نُبَاتَةَ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عليه السلام قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ إِنَ
Basa'ir al-Darajat: Al-Asbagh b. Nubata says: I heard 'Ali, peace be upon him, say: